InstantVap 18V Compact - Oxalic Acid Vaporizer

The InstantVap 18V Compact treats a hive in about 25 seconds, the same speed as the full-size Original, in a smaller, lighter, better-balanced body that costs less. If you're running somewhere between 20 and 60 hives, this is the model we point most people to. It cuts cost by trimming the housing and dropping the Original's digital readout in favor of a sunlight-readable LED, but the heating performance doesn't give anything up.

The one real tradeoff is battery size. The Compact draws more power than the Lite, so it wants a 5Ah or larger pack rather than the smaller 3Ah battery that comes with most drill kits. If you only keep a handful of hives and don't want to buy a bigger battery, the Lite is worth a look — see How It Compares below.

Every Compact carries a 2-year parts warranty, with all repair service done in-house in the USA.

Key Features

• Fast, consistent treatments — dynamic temperature control vaporizes a 2 g dose in about 25 seconds and a 4 g dose in about 45 seconds, with quick recovery between hives.
• No overheating — accurate temperature management holds the unit at a stable vaporizing temperature for consistent results hive after hive.
• Readable in full sun — the LED status indicator stays visible in direct sunlight, so you don't have to bend down or guess whether it's ready.
• Dial in your dose — the adjustable plunger covers 1–4 g per hive.
• A spare always on hand — a built-in slot in the handle holds a backup plunger, a feature neither the Original nor the Lite has.
• Stable in your hand — the ergonomic stainless steel build is balanced to avoid tilting forward, so long treatment sessions don't strain your wrist.
• Protects your battery — built-in over-discharge protection keeps the vaporizer from draining your pack to the point of damage.

Compatibility

Works With

• DeWalt XR or FLEX 20V and 20V/60V MAX slide-in batteries
• Milwaukee M18 slide-in batteries
• Makita 18V LXT slide-in batteries
• Ridgid 18V slide-in batteries
• Ryobi batteries, using the Ryobi Battery Adapter on the DeWalt version

Order the version that matches your battery brand. We recommend a 5Ah or larger battery for best performance.

Does Not Work With

• DeWalt Powerstack batteries
• Post-style (stick) batteries — slide-in style only
• InstantVap Lite dispensers, caps, or outlet parts — the Lite uses its own components

Note: Battery and charger are not included.

How It Compares

The InstantVap Original treats at the same speed as the Compact — about 25 seconds at 2 g, 45 seconds at 4 g — in a larger full-size body with a digital readout. The Compact is smaller, lighter, and less expensive, and it's the only one of the two with spare plunger storage.

The InstantVap Lite costs less and runs on a 3Ah battery, but it's slower — about 25–30 seconds at 2 g and roughly a minute and a half at 4 g. It suits hobbyists with up to about 20 hives.

For commercial yards, the InstantVap 18V Turbo treats a 2 g dose in about 10 seconds (20 seconds at 4 g).

Seasonal Use

Oxalic acid vapor reaches nearly every mite riding on adult bees, but it can't penetrate wax cappings — so it works best when the colony has little or no capped brood. Plan your treatments for late fall into the broodless winter cluster, early spring before brood rearing ramps up, after you hive a swarm, or during a natural brood break after requeening.

How to Use

1. Put on your respirator before you start (see Safety below).
2. Connect a charged 5Ah or larger battery and let the unit come up to temperature — watch the LED indicator.
3. Load oxalic acid into the plunger and set your dose (2 g is the standard treatment).
4. Insert the brass stem through the front entrance or a drilled hole in the back of the hive.
5. Dispense the dose. A 2 g dose vaporizes in about 25 seconds; a 4 g dose takes about 45 seconds.
6. Let the unit recover briefly, then move to the next hive.

The brass stem is sized for standard hive entrances. If your bottom boards use a narrow entrance opening, treat through a drilled hole instead so the vapor gets into the hive rather than collecting at the entrance.

Download the InstantVap 18V Compact user manual (PDF)

Safety

Oxalic acid vapor is an acid gas, and you should never breathe it. A dust mask won't stop it — you need a respirator fitted with acid gas cartridges, like our Half-Face Respirator with Oxalic Acid Respirator Cartridges. A half-face mask protects your lungs but leaves your eyes exposed, so add eye protection or use a full-face respirator. Stand upwind of the hive while you treat, and use only EPA-registered oxalic acid.

Product Details

Related Reading

• Oxalic Acid Vaporization
• Survey of Varroa Mite Treatments

You May Also Need

• EZ-OX Oxalic Acid (Powder & Tablets)
• InstantVap Oxalic Acid Plunger (fill the spare slot in the handle)
• Half-Face Respirator
• Oxalic Acid Respirator Cartridge

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